Wednesday, October 5, 2022 Some material taken from The Church I Want to Belong To
I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God. Psalm 78:2-8
Built On A Firm Foundation
Good families don’t just happen, they are built on a good foundation. They are led by parents who are consistently sustained and strengthened by their commitment to example a biblical faith walk and share it with the next generation. It is this consistent dependance on God and being in His word that changes our lives and is the example our children need. This is a family built on The Firm Foundation of Christ.
It is impossible to maintain perfection so we will make mistakes. These days we are all living life in the fast lane, so we are living life distracted, busy, and mostly stressed out. These things can distract us and/or completely derail us from living consistently sustained in and focused on Jesus. It is okay if our children see us slip up or get derailed as long as they see us get it straightened out. We need to be real with them – personal, practical, intentional, and loving as we work to pass on faith to them.
The church can play a big part in passing this faith on and walking this journey with families. They can provide support, accountability, and spiritual guidance. The church also provides other adults who are a key part of our kid’s lives. They help them understand the Bible, they encourage them, they disciple, and they walk with families through thick and thin.
For some, their church family is the only family they have, or has been more of a family than their biological family. There could be times when a teenager is more comfortable talking to a youth pastor or a youth Bible study leader than they may be talking to their own parents. Churches have a responsibility to parents to do everything they can to make sure church and the adults their children are around at church are safe. When parents bring their kids to church and turn them over to the leaders they can rest assured that their children are being led by adults who have the same values, believe the same as them, and teach the Gospel.
When we put Christ at the center of our lives and want to pass that on to our children, church will automatically be a major part of their lives too. Church and meeting together is important. The writer of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 10:24-25 - And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. This is an important value of our faith to pass on as well. We need to not only take our children to church, but they need to see the value that church holds in our own lives. They also need to know that church does not take the place of a relationship with God but they work together in our lives as church provides corporate worship, fellowship, and opportunities for deeper study into His word.
The bond between our family and our church family is important, and church is, in a sense, an extension of our families, like an extended family. Our relationship with our church is a testimony to the world and also extends us even further into the world as an opportunity to be the church to the world by the way we serve and love each other. We are to be the embodiment of Heaven on earth. Churches help us reach this goal.
Together we can give our families a firm foundation to grow on and a firm foundation to serve as a launchpad for our children as they go and start building their own lives on that same firm foundation.
